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African Americans and christianity?

Kilgore

Kilgore

Bluelighter
Joined
May 14, 2005
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Has any1 here noticed how African Americans tend to be more religious? It seems like groups of people that have been practicing a certain religion for only a short period of time are more religious. When I look at Western Europe now and back in the day it seems like it is pretty secular when compared to the time that religion was very important.
 
Disclaimer: the following is a generalization, but I think it may have some truth to it...

Because of the relatively recent hardships that the entire race has endured, African Americans have had to look beyond reality to find hope; they had to have faith in something greater. The pain will probably take some time to die down, at which point African Americans (again, just a generalization) will as a whole adopt a more casual attitude toward religion.

Think about this: A large portion of older African Americans have known a world in which they had to fear for their lives just because of the color of their skins. Faith in god may have been the only thing that kept them going, aside from the love of their families.
 
^^there u go....

It aint that they aint been practicing it that long doe, OP.

A lot of people who got a stronger ethnic background (recent immigrants, families who just arrived in america or children of families who just came to america one generation ago,etc) got stronger religion.......when you in a new place with many things to be unsure of a lot of times religion is what people turn to...it aint just black people, its a whole lot of spanish people , italians, russian and polish people, etc. all kinds of people.
 
Slaveowners didn't stop at physical oppression. They also forced christianity down their throat. Also, the hope concept comes into play too..
 
CB and Lacey have covered all the most relevant points.

Furthermore, let's keep in mind that America *in general* is more religious than Europe is, a fact much bigger than a single racial/ethnic group.
 
Except it seems like a higher percentage of the black population is more religious than the white. Meaning that out of the white people less people are religious but in the black population more are religious.
 
I know a lot of African Americans who aren't religious at all. One of the few who is relisgious is a Buddhist. Do we really know if African Americans are more religous than white people or other ethnic groups?
What if you looked at the relationship between income level and religiosity -- would certain income brackets be more religious than others?
 
how do you really know how religious a person is? just because they go to church doesn't mean their religious at all. a deeply religious person tries to find more connection with god, IMO. how do you know who is finding god when their understanding of God is completely different than yours?
 
I can't answer your questions. What you are calling "religious" is what I tend to think of as "spiritual"... I'm only going by whether or not they're fundamentalist christian types. A fundamentalist christian such as our friend SexWivMusic is what I think of as being religious, but not necesarily spiritual.
 
>>When I look at Western Europe now and back in the day it seems like it is pretty secular when compared to the time that religion was very important.>>

I'll add that this is largely an artifact of our romanticization of the past. Many of the peasantry in the middle ages didn't really give a shit, mixed pagan practices with a smattering of Christian belief, and would only go to church if dragged there by their lords.

In short, I don't think our world has become more secular.

ebola
 
Kilgore said:
Except it seems like a higher percentage of the black population is more religious than the white. Meaning that out of the white people less people are religious but in the black population more are religious.
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aaaand black and white are the only two kinds of people in america?

the way youre wording this topic and your responses makes you sound like one of them cats who would make a survey, and where it asks you your race, it either says "white" or "other"

:\
 
Belisarius said:
CB and Lacey have covered all the most relevant points.

Furthermore, let's keep in mind that America *in general* is more religious than Europe is, a fact much bigger than a single racial/ethnic group.
Click to expand...
I seriously doubt that, The furthest down south I've been is South Carolina but I'd have to say that Europe [or at least the UK] is a lot more religious than the U.S.

Then again, that whole "Separation between church and state" thing might just be hiding it. But generally Americans seem to have the more "I don't really care, I'm catholic because I'm told to be so" whereas in Britain alot more people actually believe in their religion

For the 5 years I lived there that was probably one of the few things I liked about the place. :-p
 
Then why is Europe more secular and more Europeans believe in evolution? Unless of course the latest poll/survey is wrong.
 
Kilgore said:
Then why is Europe more secular and more Europeans believe in evolution? Unless of course the latest poll/survey is wrong.
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The catholic church has accepted evolution. 10 years ago.

John Paul, almost fifty years later...adds that additional data and theory have placed the factuality of evolution beyond reasonable doubt. Sincere Christians must now accept evolution not merely as a plausible possibility, but also as an effectively proven fact.


And again, I was only basing my opinion on my experience in England/Scotland/Belgium. and was also only basing it on children my age, most of them could of grown up, realized the atrocity that is catholicism and renounced their faith. :)
 
I got a question, Im from australia so I dont really know any Afican Americans.

Do African americans on average, compared to whites have lower levels of education?

I don't mean to be offensive but just wondering about it, as from what I understand, the higher level of education someone has, the less likely they are to believe in god or follow religions. Could this be a factor?
 
AuraithX said:
I seriously doubt that, The furthest down south I've been is South Carolina but I'd have to say that Europe [or at least the UK] is a lot more religious than the U.S.

Then again, that whole "Separation between church and state" thing might just be hiding it. But generally Americans seem to have the more "I don't really care, I'm catholic because I'm told to be so" whereas in Britain alot more people actually believe in their religion

For the 5 years I lived there that was probably one of the few things I liked about the place. :-p
Click to expand...

I agree w/ Belsarius on this one...Ive never been to England but i live in Germany right now...and frequently visit Austria, Holland, ect....

But from my experience....The US is alot more freakish about relgion than Europe...You'll never see religion be pulled into politics like it is in the US...Its more mainstream in the US i guess i can say
 
I have to say that because religion and religious ceremonies got
incorporated into the daily lifestyle of black people. Christianity isn't
just a religion but a social glue to black people.
 
>>I seriously doubt that, The furthest down south I've been is South Carolina but I'd have to say that Europe [or at least the UK] is a lot more religious than the U.S.>>

Surveys on church attendance and strength of belief would say otherwise (based on a sociology of religion course I took).
..
>>Could [varying levels of education] be a factor?>>

yes. Is it the only pertinent one? Probably not, but I haven't seen sufficiently detailed data.

ebola
 
I think it's tragically ironic that so many blacks believe so strongly in a white religion that was given to their ancestors by their slave masters. I don't think Islam is any better an alternative either.
 
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